Fortnite

FAQ

Q: What is the measured average FPS for this combo in Fortnite at 1080p with Low settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers an average of 489 FPS. This is the highest recorded average across all resolution and settings combinations in the measured data.

Q: How does the CPU's average benchmark score compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K's average score of 83,807. This places the two processors nearly identical in overall CPU performance.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested graphics cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 sits in the 92nd percentile among all GPUs, based on its average benchmark score of 79,842. This indicates it outperforms the vast majority of graphics cards in the benchmark database.

Q: Which settings preset provides the highest average FPS at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low settings preset achieves the highest average FPS at 311. Medium settings yield 219 FPS, High settings produce 170 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 112 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's memory capacity and bus width?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, which translates to 28 Gbps effective.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Fortnite?

A: This specific CPU-GPU pairing ranks 63rd out of 2,740 tested combinations in Fortnite. This places it in the top 2.3% of all recorded combos for this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the primary driver of frame output in this Fortnite configuration. Its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus delivers 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is substantial for handling high-resolution textures and complex scenes typical of Battle Royale environments. The GPU operates with a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, with memory running at an effective 28 Gbps.

The GPU's 21,760 shading units and 680 texture mapping units provide the raw compute needed for Fortnite's stylized rendering. The 176 ROPs handle pixel output at a rate of 423.6 GPixel/s, while the texture rate reaches 1,636.8 GTexel/s. These specifications translate directly to the measured frame rates: at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 489 FPS, indicating the GPU has ample headroom for high-refresh-rate displays.

The RTX 5090's 170 ray tracing cores and 680 tensor cores support the game's advanced lighting features, though Fortnite's competitive settings often disable these for maximum performance. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) ensures compatibility with modern rendering techniques. The 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance provides the computational foundation for the high frame rates observed across all settings.

At 4K Ultra, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, with average FPS dropping to 59. This is a direct consequence of the increased pixel count and the demanding Ultra preset effects. The GPU's 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms its position as a top-tier performer, though the measured results show that even this hardware cannot maintain high frame rates at maximum settings in 4K.

The PCIe 5.0 x16 interface ensures the GPU can communicate with the CPU at full bandwidth, minimizing any potential bottleneck in data transfer. The 575 W TDP indicates the power required to sustain these performance levels, though the benchmark data does not include power consumption measurements.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 489 at 1920x1080 to 311 at 2560x1440, then to 164 at 3840x2160. This represents a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% reduction from 1440p to 4K.

The Medium settings preset shows similar scaling behavior. Average FPS decreases from 345 at 1080p to 219 at 1440p (a 37% drop), and then to 116 at 4K (a 47% drop from 1440p). The High settings preset exhibits a slightly different pattern: 267 FPS at 1080p drops to 170 at 1440p (36% reduction), and then to 90 at 4K (47% reduction from 1440p).

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling. At 1080p, the combo achieves 176 FPS, which drops to 112 at 1440p (36% reduction), and then to 59 at 4K (47% reduction from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops across all settings suggest that the scaling behavior is resolution-driven rather than settings-driven.

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component at 4K across all settings. The 4K-to-1440p ratio for High settings shows 90 FPS versus 170 FPS, meaning 4K delivers only 53% of the 1440p performance. Similarly, at Low settings, 4K provides 164 FPS versus 311 FPS at 1440p, which is also 53%. This consistent halving suggests the GPU's pixel throughput becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

At 1080p, the FPS values are exceptionally high across all settings, indicating the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output. The 489 FPS at Low settings suggests the system is not CPU-limited at this resolution, as the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus's 24 cores and 5.80 GHz boost clock provide sufficient processing power. The scaling pattern confirms that Fortnite becomes increasingly GPU-bound as resolution rises, with the RTX 5090's 32 GB memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth being the key factors in maintaining playable frame rates at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 achieves a combo rank of 63 out of 2,740 tested combinations in Fortnite. This places the pairing in the top 2.3% of all recorded system configurations for this game, indicating exceptional performance relative to the broader database.

The CPU component of this combo ranks in the 96th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 84,003. This score is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (83,807), 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83,090), and 1.2% higher than the AMD EPYC 9135 (82,980). The only rival with a higher average score is the AMD EPYC 7F72 at 85,072, which is 1.3% ahead of the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus.

The GPU ranks in the 92nd percentile among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 79,842. This is 0.3% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79,605), 0.6% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (79,396), and 1.1% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78,940). The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X scores slightly higher at 80,959, which is 1.4% ahead of the RTX 5090.

The rank of 63 out of 2,740 suggests that while both components are individually strong performers, there are a few dozen combinations that achieve better Fortnite results. Given the measured FPS data shows 489 FPS at 1080p Low, this rank likely reflects the fact that most tested combos do not include such a high-end GPU. The combination of a top-4% CPU and top-8% GPU produces a synergistic effect that places the system in the top 2.3% of all combos.

The rank is consistent across the resolution spectrum, as the combo performs well at all settings. The 4K Ultra result of 59 FPS is lower than ideal for competitive play, but the overall ranking suggests this is a common limitation among high-end systems. The combo's position in the database indicates it is a viable choice for Fortnite enthusiasts seeking high frame rates at mainstream resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience for this combo in Fortnite. At 1920x1080, the High settings preset delivers 267 FPS average, which is sufficient for even the fastest refresh rate monitors. The Low preset achieves 489 FPS, but this sacrifices visual quality for marginal competitive advantage. Medium settings at 345 FPS strike a balance between visual fidelity and performance, though High at 267 FPS remains well above the 240 Hz threshold.

At 2560x1440, the High settings preset produces 170 FPS, which is suitable for 144 Hz displays. Medium settings at 219 FPS provide additional headroom for 240 Hz monitors, while Low at 311 FPS exceeds the capabilities of most displays. Ultra at 112 FPS is playable but may not satisfy competitive players seeking higher frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the High settings preset yields 90 FPS, which is acceptable for 60 Hz displays but not for high-refresh-rate gaming. Medium at 116 FPS offers a smoother experience, while Low at 164 FPS approaches the level needed for 144 Hz 4K monitors. Ultra at 59 FPS is barely playable and not recommended for competitive play.

The data suggests that High settings at 1080p provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, with 267 FPS offering substantial headroom above typical refresh rates. At 1440p, Medium settings at 219 FPS are recommended for players with 240 Hz monitors, while High at 170 FPS suits 144 Hz displays. For 4K, Medium settings at 116 FPS provide the best playable experience, as Ultra's 59 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

The Low preset at 1080p (489 FPS) is only recommended for competitive players who prioritize maximum frame rates over visual quality. The Ultra preset at any resolution offers diminishing returns, with the 4K Ultra result of 59 FPS indicating that this setting is not viable for this game with this hardware.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo achieves the following average FPS values across settings: Low at 489 FPS, Medium at 345 FPS with a minimum of 293 and maximum of 396, High at 267 FPS, and Ultra at 176 FPS. The Medium setting provides the only measured minimum and maximum values in this resolution, indicating frame time consistency that other settings do not report.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are: Low at 311 FPS, Medium at 219 FPS with a minimum of 186 and maximum of 252, High at 170 FPS, and Ultra at 112 FPS. The Medium setting again provides the only min/max data, showing a range that spans from 186 to 252 FPS, representing a frame time variance that is typical for this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are: Low at 164 FPS, Medium at 116 FPS with a minimum of 98 and maximum of 133, High at 90 FPS, and Ultra at 59 FPS. The Medium setting provides min/max data of 98 to 133 FPS, indicating a wider relative variance compared to lower resolutions.

The Medium settings across all three resolutions provide the only min/max measurements in the data set. At 1080p, the range is 293 to 396 FPS, a spread of 103 FPS. At 1440p, the range narrows to 186 to 252 FPS, a spread of 66 FPS. At 4K, the range is 98 to 133 FPS, a spread of 35 FPS. This decreasing absolute spread with increasing resolution suggests that frame pacing becomes more consistent at higher resolutions where the GPU is more heavily loaded.

The performance deltas between settings are consistent across resolutions. Moving from Low to Medium reduces FPS by approximately 29% at 1080p (489 to 345), 30% at 1440p (311 to 219), and 29% at 4K (164 to 116). Moving from Medium to High reduces FPS by about 23% at 1080p (345 to 267), 22% at 1440p (219 to 170), and 22% at 4K (116 to 90). The High to Ultra transition shows a 34% reduction at 1080p (267 to 176), 34% at 1440p (170 to 112), and 34% at 4K (90 to 59). These consistent percentages indicate that each settings tier imposes a similar relative load on the GPU regardless of resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus provides the computational foundation for this Fortnite configuration. With 24 cores and 24 threads, the processor handles the game's physics, AI, and game logic while the GPU renders frames. The base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.80 GHz allow for rapid single-thread performance, which is critical for Fortnite's main game thread.

The CPU's architecture, codenamed Arrow Lake Refresh, is built on a 3 nm process node from TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This substantial cache helps reduce memory latency and improves performance in data-intensive scenarios.

Benchmark results show the CPU excels in multithreaded workloads. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 51,731 and R20 multicore score of 21,727 indicate strong parallel processing capability. Single-core performance is also impressive, with R23 single-core at 7,303 and R20 single-core at 3,067. The PassMark multithread score of 60,860 and single-thread score of 4,823 confirm this dual strength.

The CPU's 96th percentile ranking among all processors reflects its position as a top-tier desktop chip. Its average benchmark score of 84,003 places it within 1.3% of the highest-scoring rival (AMD EPYC 7F72 at 85,072). The memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s over dual-channel DDR5, combined with PCIe Gen 5 support (20 lanes from the CPU), ensures the GPU receives data without bottleneck.

In Fortnite, the CPU's role is evident in the high frame rates at 1080p Low, where the system achieves 489 FPS. At this resolution, the GPU is not heavily loaded, so the CPU must feed frames quickly. The 24 cores handle the game's background tasks while the high boost clock ensures the main thread runs efficiently. The 125 W TDP indicates the power envelope for this performance.

The CPU's 24 threads are more than sufficient for Fortnite, which typically utilizes fewer than eight threads effectively. The excess cores provide headroom for background processes, streaming, and other simultaneous workloads. The 36 MB of L3 cache reduces memory access times, which is beneficial for the game's frequent data lookups. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU is present but not used in this configuration, as the discrete RTX 5090 handles all rendering duties.